I must admit, I was rather frustrated. I asked who I thought was a pioneer in the field of SL for corporate education about how we can show the strategic value of SL for corporate learning. This expert gave a rather flippant response- show them a simulation/role play that has immediate training value.
Yes, it would be very useful to show a Second Life sim as a platform for training, but as I explained to him, I want:
- a platform that can be adjusted to the budgets of both small and large companies, not the IBMs or the major banks that can intricately customize their simulations
- a framework for developing a site, piece by piece, depending on the adoption level and use of a company at a given time.
- a strategy that flows through the process and across levels of organizational structure
AXIS OF LEARNING AND ITS SPREAD THROUGH THE BUSINESS
A corporate learning strategy that uses Second Life has to show its function on at least 2 axes:
- Organization Level: the strategy must show how the SL application will impact the individual, the group of learners, and the organization as a whole. In the axis below, organizational levels are displayed on the vertical axis
- Learning Flow: although this could also be undstood as a loop, the horizontal axis is used to show how an SL learning strategy includes: learning delivery, learning support, and revising/updating learning.
EXAMPLES
Let me give some examples of some SL locations and explain how they relate to the axis.
This Canadian Border Customs Simulation would most likely fall into the bottom left area of the axis, because it focuses on delivering learning to individuals. What I like about this sim is the way they brought in enough realism without being overly focused on details that slow rez speed or raise design costs.
Synapse 3Di hosts a venue that fosters learning activities in the center of the axis. In the photo foreground (right) and in the background, you see breakout rooms designed for discussion and practice of skills among groups.
Thomson Scientific’s Library is an example of an environment designed to promote organizational exchange of revised/updated corporate learning. Instead of being represented by a point, the library’s use would be represented by a cloud that extends up and down the right side of the vertical axis.
SOME CONDITIONS
Although I am not suggesting that all aspects of a learning strategy be executed via SL, I believe there is underutilized potential. Here are some guiding thoughts.
- Use SL for group learning that would be facilitated by visual models that can be manipulated. SL’s visual, real-time interaction allows each person to see how others are contributing and modifying those models. Few, if any virtual platforms allow the same level of interaction.
- Learning can be stored in SL, but better methods need to be uncovered. I would like to see greater flow between visual models in SL to blogs, wikis, and then back to models.
Finally, I want an answer to my original concern- I want to see small/medium corporations across the globe creating learning strategies that adopt SL applications based on their current state, and grow their presence effectively/affordably.
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It always helps to view info from a different angle.
A reader (yes- you are not the only person reading this blog) recently contacted me because his company is going to the Enterprise Learning China Conference and wanted to know about the training industry in China.
One of the few sources on the general state of the China training industry comes from Universal Ideas Consultants, who surveys the providers and clients of training in their directory. Their report is a first step in understanding a nebulous training market.
Be careful when looking at UI’s conclusions. Their basic conclusion is that client companies feel that providers’ offering are “ineffective” and should be improved.
WHAT CONCLUSIONS CAN BE DRAWN ABOUT TRAINING IN CHINA?
While improvement is necessary, is that the best or only conclusion that can drawn from the data collected? Watch what happens when I rearrange the graphics of their data and throw in my questions. I add my comments in red for distinction between my comments and the images from the original report below.
1. So far, so good. I accept the basic question of satisfaction. Next question- why aren’t they satisfied with providers?
2. Hmm, training is not effective. There is some confusion here. Is this question talking about a training event that didn’t deliver the content expected, or that learning was not converted to an impact on the workplace? What is “training,” and how was its effectiveness measured?
3. Ok. A little clearer, but still troubling. Training effectiveness is still largely determined by the SATISFACTION level of learners. 51% of responding companies also measure change in behavior, but what happens in the company between end of training and productivity measurement time? What kind of training is usually provided?
4. So, it looks like most respondents expect 2 days of training to be converted into improved productivity. Next question: which people determine if training initiatives are “effective?”
5. Although this a bit of a stretch, it would be fair to say that these decision-makers have significant influence over the support and measurement of training effectiveness in their company. Note that most are Training Directors and HR Managers. Based on the categories in the above graph, would you say that Training Directors & HR Managers are:
- Executive Level?
- Senior Management?
- Middle Management?
- Below Middle Management?
6. Did you notice that the level of employees that need the most investment in training is also the level of employee that determines the success and “effectiveness” of training (If you said that hr managers & training directors are senior or middle managers)?
7. Even more interesting. Training Directors and HR Managers, as part of the Senior/Middle Manager group, need skills in leadership, management, strategy, and interpersonal skills. This is just the set of skills and an important organizational level that would be needed to implement an effective training strategy across a corporation!
NEW CONCLUSIONS
I’ve worked with learning leaders as our clients in China. They are right that providers need to have clearer, more focused solutions that deliver greater quality.
On the other hand, I’ve been able to peek into these corporate training systems, and I use the word “system” lightly. What is saw in several, but not all cases, was a lack of consistently implemented strategy of converting learning into increased performance and productivity.
Many providers’ training solutions could adequately produce results when used in a corporate training strategy that manages and tracks:
- REVIEW: Learners need convenient and accessible reminders of what they have learned. Training Directors and HR provide this through blogs, podcasts, support/discussion groups, and other performance support tools that bring learning back into mind.
- EXPERIMENT: Be clear that learners are in an environment where it is safe and required that they try to use their new learning. Management must be vigilant in making sure that learners have the opportunity to use new skills and take advantage of those opportunities.
- UPDATE: New experiences means that learning must be applied in new, different situations. Give learners a place to track and share their experiences in a supportive community. This could mean a move away from content heavy classroom training to shorter, more frequent “practice sessions” that build on the experiences gained after previous training.
To paraphrase the saying- what gets monitored gets done.
“Effective” training in China depends not only on the quality of the provider, but also the quality of the learning strategy. Make sure your China training is delivered with the proper learning strategy, and that Training Directors and HR Managers have the resources and support (company and global level) they need.
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By now, your company’s training department may have heard enough of “blended” learning.
Ok, if you’re tired of hearing the word, the concept of delivering learning through multiple forms is still worth considering.
- A combination of learning methods can be more productive. Trainers spend less time dumping information, and participants who invest less in preparation can be discovered and excluded. This increases the impact of committed learners and saves money lost on resistant learners.
- Blends can support on-going learning. This means people get reminders and support long after the delivery of a training courses
WHAT DO BLENDS LOOK LIKE?
Bersin and Associates have created this image to show how combinations of learning activities provide a fuller learning experience.
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But the image doesn’t actually tell you how to choose different learning tools to fit the need, so you can refer to this chart from Learning Blog.
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Still need more help in making the decision? Bersin also helps you understand how to choose learning media:
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Finally, some scales to help you determine live vs. self-paced learning media (from Singh and Reed of Centra Software)
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Of course, changes in learning preferences in China will have to change. Trainers, coaches and facilitators will take a larger role as skill builders rather than knowledge dispensers. But that’s another article.
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I’m going to break some of the rules today. Instead of trying to tease you with a lead-in and catchy concept, I’m going to jump right into talk about wikis. Why? Because I’m convinced they don’t need flowery talk. Wikis represent the beginning of democratization of training, and the restoration of learning as a continuing social process.
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WHY USE WIKIS?
learning is social and collaborative- wikis allow group input, and encourage contribution of shared experience. All community members can be allowed to contribute, revise, and comment on the content of shared knowledge.
learning is a continuous process from novice to expert- proficiency takes time, and wikis help to chronicle the development of skill over months. Discussions and changes to the wiki show how people increase in proficiency, and show the bumps in the road along the way.
wikis are affordable- many basic wiki sites are free. You will want to check accessibility in other countries. As of writing, my tests indicate some people in China have trouble accessing wikispaces and wetpaint.
wikis allow widgets- widgets are applications that can be embedded on your wiki pages. You can embed YouTube, presentation slides, polls, surveys, audio, and other to provide a more rounded, interactive learning experience. I recommend you try Voicethread. This service has tremendous potential as a learning discussion tool.
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WHEN TO USE WIKIS
External Providers. If a corporate client has an internal LMS, the client may not want an external provider’s materials boxed into a corporate, formal learning system. On the other side, an external trainer may not want the hassle of having to modify their material, administer, or monitor learners’ contributions within a client’s system.
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THE END OF LIVE, ON-SITE LEARNING?
Am I implying that wikis will replace the need for instructor led training(ILT) or face-to-face interaction? No, not at all. What I am suggesting (especially for China) is that wikis free trainers and audiences from attending 1-2 days of content delivery. With a wiki, you get the info before you go to the course. You have a quiz. If a learner hasn’t passed the quiz, he/she needs more time/support to grasp the foundational info. ILT is now freer to commit more time to practice, coaching, and skill building with less focus on information delivery.
On the other hand, corporations and trainers can save travel time and resources by using wikis with other online learning tools. A combination of Skype and Yugma allows conference calls and webinars for group coaching and collaboration. Google Docs can be used simultaneously by a group to draft a message, get coaching on written communication, and update spreadsheet data. Second Life simulations and role-plays allow a facilitator observe task-based practice that requires physical gestures and movement of objects. Second Life also enables machinima, an option for recording video without the need for a video camera and filming on live location.
I’ve created an example wiki at: jasonowalker.wikispaces.com.
There, you’ll see pages on using wikis for:
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To my readers in China- tell us which wiki sites you can/cannot access. Are there local (China) wikis you recommend?
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This week, I am seeking your input.
Our companies are full of systems, and the process of learning is one of those systems.
I would like to understand how the process of learning is sustained in your companies.
Peter Senge‘s The Fifth Discipline and other works explain how a basic system consists of 4 main parts.
- Desired Outcome
- Input
- Output
- Adjusting- applying catalysts and removing barriers to output
I’ve used these basic principles to show the flow of activities in learning.
This model, if accurate, will be very useful for future discussions. It will give us a clearer understanding of where US and China learning systems differ. It will enable us to understand where learning initiatives get de-railed. The model can also be expanded to capture the systems that disrupt and facilitate the flow of learning.
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My initial hunch is that US and China learning leaders will have assumptions about the similarities/differences in their learning system models. Let’s find out together where those differences/similarities are.
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If you would like to contribute to this model, I have posted it on Google Docs. I can share the document with you, enabling you to edit the model for all of our mutual benefit. Email me (jasonowalker@gmail.com), and I can give you permission to edit.
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American Management Association’s newsletter reveals some startling findings on global learning trends. A study from the Institute for Corporate Productivity found:
- 17% of companies surveyed provide adequate training to trainers in adapting learning to regional learning differences
- 14% of companies prepare HQ employees to understand and respond to cultural and work differences with international offices
- 36% effectively develop a learning strategy that sufficiently responds to both global and local learning and development needs
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The article implies that other participating companies scored even lower in the adequacy of their global learning strategies.
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Is that accurate in your experience? I am especially interested to hear how HQ in the US is prepared to interact with their company’s international offices.
U.S. companies who consider launching operations in China often view their entry from several perspectives, including the legal hurdles, market landscape, and financial obligations required to stabilize a new venture. For many of these executives, considerations of talent and staffing come secondary. It is important for planners to realize that securing skilled talent and retaining talented employees remain on-going, critical activities that significantly affect the ability to reach optimal performance. Training strategies, foreign assignments, and retention plans represent a make-or-break element of staying on-schedule towards full-capacity. As a result, U.S. executives would be well-advised to develop their retention and talent-management strategies much earlier in the entry discussion.
Last year, I attended Alice Law’s presentation to AmCham Shanghai on Developing High-Flying Potential. Alice Law. Apr 2007. Alice did an excellent job of relating employees’ needs and expectations related to professional development. For small/medium-sized American companies who are new to China, I believe there are several key points:
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Select and retain employees according to job-fit. You are likely to have to train your employees anyway, so choose to develop employees who fit with the culture and have the personal characteristics to excel after they have received proper training. Alternatively, you could target experienced professionals who can jump into a role during company start-up, and then plan for them to leave after 1-2 years. You are then able to hire a potentially less-talented employee (at a lower wage) who can grow into the position with less business risk to the stability of the company. The latter strategy will still necessitate development opportunities and allowance for a learner’s curve.
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Use evaluations and development plans to clarify the kinds of experience employees want, and the obstacles they are facing. In these conversations, distinguish between depth of experience and breadth of experience available. Young employees are likely to have an “I want it all” attitude toward experience, instead of distinguishing the difference between a business generalist moving toward a GM-type position, or a specialist known for depth of expertise. Once these differences are clarified, determine the obstacles that the organization can remove while still achieving improved business targets.
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Foster a shared learning mentality. Talented employees commit longer and have stronger relationships when managers commit personal time to their reports. This time could be as little as 1 hour of one-to-one time with subordinates, but can also include introductions that strengthen the subordinate’s professional network, or pearls of wisdom from personal experience.
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Promote a culture of excellence. Employees will expect promotions, and often connect those promotions to length of service rather than evidence of increased professional skill. Encourage managers and subordinates to record subordinates’ skill development, and use promotions as a time to praise skill. Chinese employees are known to leave companies because the new job comes with a status-enhancing new title. Retaining employees will mean explaining your organization’s use of promotions to recognize excellence, and that excellence can be independent of authority over others (i.e. management positions). At the same time, excellence is directly related to reward and other forms of prestige.
